I was out for a drive today when I had a really interesting chat with my Heavenly Father. As part of the conversation I started pondering on the subject of New Year Resolutions.
Now, I can't say that this is a subject that I entertain every year - I can't see the point of setting out resolutions just for the sake of it. However, I understand the benefit of turning over a new leaf, making a fresh start. So the New Year is a great opportunity to do that. And over the past twelve months or so I have really got to know myself a lot better. I can understand my motivations so much better. My strengths. My weaknesses. My spiritual gifts. My special abilities. My assets. My liabilities.
"Lord, I am not perfect. Far from it. But you see me not as I am, but how I could be. My potential. And I want to embrace that - to work on that."
With 2013 just around the corner, I can see there are some changes needed to be made in the next twelve months in my own life, in the lives of my family. So I can make better use of these gifts; to strive to reach that potential. There are some tremendous opportunities that are just about to come into range. I just need to be brave enough to make the changes that I need to make. To grab hold of these opportunities and hold on. And possibly to take some flak for it.
God, grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
The courage to change the things that I can;
And the wisdom to know the difference.
(Reinhold Niebuhr)
(picture - taken from "Calvin & Hobbes" by Bill Watterson. Check out this comic strip at this website.)
